When the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted K'Lavon Chaisson in 2020, they thought they had found the perfect bookend pass rusher opposite Josh Hines-Allen. However, that didn't turn out to be the case. After four underwhelming seasons, the Jags cut ties with Chaisson. The Carolina Panthers wasted no time taking a flyer on him in 2024, but they released him just a few months after signing him in free agency.
It wasn't until Chaisson joined the Las Vegas Raiders in the middle of the 2024 season that he showcased the pass-rush potential that made him a first-round pick. The former LSU Tiger then signed with the New England Patriots, where he's truly enjoyed a career revival.
K'Lavon Chaisson is having a career-season with the Patriots
K'Lavon Chaisson appeared in 16 games for the Patriots and registered a career-best 7.5 sacks and 18 quarterback hits. You could argue that those numbers don't pop off the stat sheet, but the Jags would've loved to have that kind of production from their No. 3 pass rusher in 2024. But wait, there's more!
After an encouraging regular season, Chaisson had three sacks and six quarterback hits in two playoff games. Simply put, he's been everything the Jags expected when they drafted him 20th overall. The Houston, Texas native signed a modest one-year contract worth $3 million last offseason. He should have no trouble getting a better deal in 2026... if New England lets him walk, that is.
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The Jaguars simply weren't a fit for K'Lavon Chaisson
Players' readiness is always variable coming out of college. This means that some players need more time than others to reach their full potential. That was the case with K'Lavon Chaisson after being drafted by the Jags. By his own admission, his transition to the NFL was underwhelming, which explains why he was a non-factor as a rookie.
The fact that Chaisson played for three different coaches in as many seasons didn't help matters. Of course, he also must shoulder the blame for his underwhelming performance during his stint in Jacksonville. After all, many of his teammates still managed to come through in spite of the turnover.
It's also possible that Chaisson didn't flip the switch until he was released by the Jaguars and then the Panthers. Perhaps he wasn't putting in the work to perform to the best of his capabilities.
But regardless of the season, K'Lavon Chaisson has at last become the player the Jaguars envisoned, even if it happened with the Patriots and several years later than expected.